Rulus, Lord of Princes
Rulus '(RU-lus) is the primary deity of the Human nation of Du'Rothin. Widely accepted to be the deification of one of the original princes of the Dawnwind bloodline, the deity is worshiped as the patron of Humans in Du'Rothin. His priesthood is politically powerful, and his followers include most of the northern Human populace and the nobility of Du'Rothin. History When Humans first came to Du'Rothin, they quickly fractured into several splinter groups, each seeking to dominate all the others. Over time, as peace was made with the Elves and the denizens of the Jhin'Dai were beaten back, the Human coalitions began to make war on one another. These battles rages for centuries until the coming of the Orcs, at which time the Dawnwind family, who ruled the city-state of Du'Roth, was able to broker a peace that united the Human factions under their rule until such a time as the Orc threat could be dispersed. Now, many Humans accept that those of the Dawnwind Bloodline are the rightful rulers of mankind. Long before this peace, one of the earliest princes of the city-state of Du'Roth, a man named Rulus, was a fearsome general in his youth and a wise sage in his old age. He was considered one of the greatest historians of humanity since their coming to this new land, and many of his works are now considered holy texts by Rulus's church. While it is unclear exactly when Rulus began to grant spells in his name, many began following him as a god in the decade following his death. What began as a cult following of a few dozen grew into what is now the principal faith of the Human nation. Relationships Rulus, as the leader of the Human's pantheon, has at least passing relationships with every Human deity. He is perhaps closest to his sister, Y'lithia, who despite staggering differences in character are still close allies due to their sibling bond. Church Rulus's church is far-reaching within Human lands. He is expected to be paid homage to by all Humans on the day of Midweek Rest, even by those who do not worship him primarily. Individuals who do not observe this cultural practice are often treated as pariahs by the community around them, and they find it difficult to receive fair treatment from their fellow men. For this reasons, almost all Humans give Rulus lip service at the very least, and most know at least a few of his tenants. His clergy are often supported by the nobles of the region, and thus grand temples are not uncommon, with competitions held to see which noble can donate the grandest monument in Rulus's honor. Ornate robes, grandiose sermons, and extravagant decorations are the trademarks of his religion. Only nobility are allowed to enter his service, though when they do they are expected to server ties with their old family and accept whatever support is given them by their new one. Rulus's holy texts have been seen by only the highest-ranking church members, but certain tenants are well know. The first and highest commandment of Rulus is that of obedience to the Lords of the Land. The second is the Devotion of Service, which compels the followers of Rulus to excel at whatever task or station he has deigned them fit for. The third is the Rule of Progeny, which commands commmon folk and nobility alike to seek productive marriage and produce offspring, raising them to be worthy stewards of the Nation of Man and, thus, Rulus's legacy. Gameplay Information *'Alignment: 'Lawful Neutral *'Domains: 'Ancestors, Community, Day, Defense, Knowledge, Law, Nobility, Leadership, Protection, Reslove, Sun, War *'Favored Weapon: Longsword *'Porfolio: '''Du'Rothin Culture, Family, Industry, Nobility, Head of the Human Pantheon *'Power: 'Greater *'Titles: 'Lord of Princes, Guardian of Du'Rothin Culture, Rider of the Dawn, King of Man *'Worshipers: 'Humans, especially nobility. *'Special Note: '''All Rulusian clerics are trained in both the Longsword and the language of Ancient Rothian. If the cleric does not receive these talents from other sources, they must expend the appropriate skills or feats to get them. Category:Deities